Vintangelo (Ang) Puopolo, 32, of Greenvale, north of Melbourne, pleaded guilty to theft in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court. He was ordered to pay $16,500 restitution and placed on a nine-month community corrections order with the condition he do 100 hours of community work. 

Police received five reported thefts of sheep and lambs in Duverney, Werneth, Berrybank and Cape Clear between November 3 and December 2 last year. 

In late December a 16-year-old from the Skipton area was arrested. He told police he stole the stock and delivered them to a property or met Puopolo and transferred them into a trailer. 

A search of the teenager's phone revealed messages referring to Puopolo ordering and selling the stock and about money Puopolo owed him.

On December 20, investigators from the Warrnambool CIU, the Warrnambool police divisional response unit and Camperdown uniform officers raided a property in the Skipton/Lismore/Berribank district.

A stolen tandem trailer was located valued at $3000 and 48 ear tags which had been removed from sheep. 

Puopolo was arrested and interviewed at Broadmeadows police station on February 1. He has been on bail since that date. 

While the exact number of stock is unknown, it is believed Puopolo received 100 too 200 sheep and lambs. 

The 16-year-old was convicted in the Colac Children's Court on April 23. 

He was released on a nine-month youth attendance order.